IMPHAL, December 12: Representatives of Manipur Loumi Lup accompanied by union leaders called on the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his chamber at Parliament House today and submitted a memorandum containing ten demands. According to reports, the meeting took place at around 1 pm.
The team was led by president of the All India Kishan Sabha Pramod Panda and consisted of the zonal secretary of MLL, H Ibobi Singh, general secretary of AITUC, Manipur, L Sotin Kumar, working president of Manipur Nupi Marup M Sakhi Devi and leader of MLL Yumnam Jiban.
The memorandum signed by former minister of Manipur, N Mangi and Ibobi Singh called for better execution of irrigation and flood control projects in the state. It mentioned that the Loktak Lift Irrigation Scheme, the Khoupum Dam Project, the Singda Multipurpose projects have failed completely. Even the most recent Khuga multipurpose project constructed at a revised cost o Rs 335.11 crores and inaugurated on November 12, 2010 has almost failed, it added. The memo called for sending a central team to investigate into the whole affairs of the completed project to find out the causes of the failures.
The memorandum further demanded a relook on the Loktak Hydro Project, stating that the project was implemented without following a mandatory norms, procedures and practices, prior to its implementation, paying particular focus on the negligence on the environment aspects and rehabilitation and resettlement of victims and payment of compensation.
It added that Manipur’s lifelines, the two highways NH-2 and NH-39, are not safe for passengers and truckers as kidnapping for ransom, extortion and even killing of innocent drivers and their helpers. Besides, the memorandum noted, indefinite bandhs and blockades are imposed at high frequency subjecting the common people to great hardship. The memo asked the PM to intervene in completing the construction of NH-37 within this financial year.
The memorandum also pointed out that ongoing border fencing between India and Myanmar might lead to loss of a huge portion of Manipur’s territory to Myanmar.
Highlighting the problems caused to the state due to the withdrawal of Inner Line Permit System, it stated that continuous influx of migrants from other states and illegal immigrants from Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar into Manipur is taking place. This is threatening the identity of the indigenous people and casing various unwanted socioeconomic and political consequences.